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In September 2022, Gilbert King, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, released the first episode of “Bone Valley” and brought Leo Schofield into the spotlight.
The podcast scrutinizes the investigation into the murder of Schofield’s 18-year-old wife, Michelle, in 1980s Lakeland. Ultimately, King concludes that the wrong man spent 36 years in prison for the crime, although state courts never overturned his conviction.
Expanded version: Now, King has announced the release of a book based on the podcast. He says it reveals even more details of his investigation alongside producer and researcher, Kelsey Decker.
“Bone Valley: A True Story of Injustice and Redemption in the Heart of Florida” will be released on Oct. 7. It is available for preorder.
In an announcement on the “Bone Valley” podcast feed, King says, “In the book, I’m able to go deeper, explore more angles, and bring in scenes that never aired. This is a more expansive version of the story, and in many ways, a more personal one, too.”
Wrongly convicted?
According to King, the investigation into Michelle’s murder fell short and valuable evidence was overlooked. Leo, then 22, was arrested.
Despite claiming innocence, he was convicted of first-degree murder in 1989 and sentenced to life in prison.
The podcast reveals that another man, Jeremy Scott, confessed to Michelle’s murder. And yet, Leo remained incarcerated.
Finally, in April 2023, Leo was released after serving enough of his sentence to be eligible for parole.
Returning to a favorite medium
King says that when he and Decker began the “Bone Valley” project, “We had no idea how vast the story would become or how to navigate a medium we’d never worked in before.”
Pivotal moments from Schofield and Scott’s original trials had to be excluded because of a lack of audio or video footage. Experiences of witnesses, detectives, attorneys, family members, and investigators were abbreviated or excluded because of time constraints.
“There was so much more to the story … I decided to return to the format I’ve always loved: the book,” King says.
Want to learn more?
- Listen to the “Bone Valley” podcast from Lava for Good.
- Watch LkldNow’s Candid Conversation with Gilbert King and Leo Schofield.
- Attend the Florida Lecture Series at Florida Southern College on Sept. 25 and hear Gilbert King speak in person.
- Be on the lookout for a TV-series based on the podcast.
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